25 Jun 19
10:15 hrs
We're all fine.
Well most of us are. The Couch Monkeys and I have been batching it for close to three weeks while my Better Half and the Oma-nator have been across the pond visiting relatives. About a week ago the Oma-nator grew ill and was hospitalized. There was an immediate disconnect in the language and little if any medical info was passed onto my Better Half. The medical issue has now been cleared and she has been released as of this morning. Due to the time spent in hospital flights had to be cancelled and rebooked at an exorbitant additional expense for the both of them. From this experience it is doubtful if, once she is home, the Oma-nator travels by air ever again. They will be travelling back at the end of the week with my Lobster scheduled to be home nine hours after handing the Oma-nator off to her Elder Daughter for the drive home from the Golden Horseshoe to the Nation's Capital. My Better Half and I have already discussed the notion of going east on late September to visit her. That would be the first time I have been to the Nation's Capital in a dozen year.
This week I started back at a previous work position after completing twelve days of graveyards. What a bag drive! But I wanted to see the project through to completion so it's my own damn fault.
The Jr. Couch Monkey is working hard and in the process of selecting his courses for university in the fall. Good on him. He has his residence all set up. We just have to pay for it. He's covering the cost of his courses. Thank goodness he has a well paying summer job. In fact, he makes as much or more than I do.
The other day I was on my way into work and I saw a guy in pajamas with no shoes on topping up the pressure in his tires. Who in the hell drives with no shoes on? It's bad enough seeing people drive with crocs on their feet, but no foot wear at all?
There is another storage facility being built by CFB Slow-mox. Pretty soon it will resemble the area surrounding any Hugh-ess military installation. Acres and acres of storage units all filled all with the excess bits of peoples lives that they desperately feel the need to hang on to.
22:00 hrs
It's getting dark and here I am picking blueberries at the Wayward Inn.
26 Jun 19
04:45 hrs
I woke up early. Go figure. I added some blueberries to my yogurt/granola. I've been watching Forged in Fire:Battle of the Branches. Four members from each of the Hugh-ess five military branches compete for a chance to represent their branch in final forging competition worth $50,000. The current episode is the Navy's turn. One of the competitors commented that the Navy would take the final challenge because "the drawings aren't done in crayon for the Army or the Marines and we're forging knives not golf clubs for the Air Force ". Too funny. The Navy competitors had to make a Mk. 3 Naval utility knife using a San mai blade construction method. Of the three who made it to the second round of testing the first one had his blade snap in half after the fifth anchor chain chop. The second had his break after one anchor chain chop (loser) and the third one didn't even meet the finished blade parameters as the guard on his knife was loose and the blade was not acid etched as requested. What a bunch of typical squids! Can't follow directions resulting in poor workmanship.
27 Jun 19
17:00 hrs
Rain. Blessed rain has been falling off and on throughout the day. It's not so much the lawns that need it. It's the forest and the grass along side the roadways that need the moisture in case some moron tosses a lit cigarette out the window. It's all been tinder dry for a long time that we would need to have several days of a steady drizzle to make things safe. One of the last years participants from being Out in the Weeds was at Base Camp last weekend and had to evacuate die to a small fire across the river. The problem with that location is there is one road in and it's a long bloody drive.
The Onion, the Jr. Couch Monkey and I went out to a local diner/bar for dinner last night. They had the falafel wrap - of course they did - and I had the two piece cod meal. Before the mains we sllit a baked brie. It was served with a bowl of roasted garlic and fresh sliced crostini. I could have scarfed down the whole thing myself. It was that good. The fish was perfect with an outstanding tartar sauce. The chef has certainly upped his or her game.
My Lobster will be home in two sleeps. We've noted that we really miss each other. The little things like cooking and playing cards and having tea and talking about our work day - her's being more dynamic than mine - and just connecting. Sure, each of us can continue daily when apart from the other - me more than her - but after a while there is that ache for the part of your life, your being, that is missing. Is it any wonder that long lived couples often die within months - or less - if each other?
I'm in the process of getting my RUSH out. Rush R30 is in the dvd. Tom Sawyer, Dreamline, Subdivisions, Red Barchetta, Anthem. If these mean nothing to you I strongly suggest that you crawl out out of your cave - or maybe into mine - and grasp some Canadian content.
The Jr. Loin Fruit brought home a chunk of Island Ivory for me to carve. It's not that large in diameter and I don't know if I'll get a spoon out of it. Maybe a fork. I would like to get a thicker piece to give to Charles when we meet Out in the Weeds this fall. I had never thought of using this material until I heard an artist give an interview on the National Radio Network.
We have a neighbour down the street from the Wayward Inn. He's a retired veteran like myself but that's where the similarities stop. He's a true Tangerine Tyrant Right Winger complete with the Anti-United Nations flag an American and a Canadian flag. He has also just completed building his Wall. I suppose he's afraid of some less desirable non-caucasians encroaching on his land. What a dick!
